Small vehicle encapsulation for torpedo tube vehicle launch

Abstract

A containment canister is provided for loading a vehicle. In the canister, the vehicle is restrained by a nose cap and a ring which conforms to an aft section of the vehicle. Longitudinal leads support the vehicle and provide glide surfaces during a launch. A casing with flow ports is affixed to an aft end of the containment canister with the casing encompassing an actuator with an extendable arm and an attached plug. The plug is sized to move in alignment with each canister toward a sealing ring. When the arm is extended; the plug seats against the ring. To eject the vehicle, a signal is sent an actuator to retract the plug aft of the flow ports. As the canister is flooded by a water impulse thru the flow ports; the impulse contacts the aft end of the vehicle to expel the vehicle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A capsule for vehicle encapsulation, said capsule comprising:
 a cylinder extending from a closed forward end to a closed aft end, said cylinder including a plurality of flow ports penetrating a periphery and proximate to the closed aft end of said cylinder; 
 a circular alignment plate interior to said cylinder with a first face of said plate parallel and proximate to the closed forward end of said cylinder, said alignment plate including a central aperture and four apertures between the central aperture and a perimeter of said alignment plate; 
 a hollow cylinder with a closed first end and a closed second end, said hollow cylinder in alignment with the central aperture and affixed at the first end to said alignment plate at a perimeter of the central aperture; 
 a canister foot plate affixed to the second end of said hollow cylinder, said foot plate including a central aperture aligned with the central aperture of said circular alignment plate, four apertures between the central aperture and the perimeter of said foot plate with the four apertures of said foot plate aligned with the four apertures of said alignment plate; 
 four containment canisters, each canister suitable for encapsulating the vehicle and in alignment with each of the four apertures of said forward circular alignment plate and with each of the four apertures of said foot plate with said canisters capable of movement thru the apertures, each of said containment canisters including a nose extending thru the forward end of said cylinder, a ring positioned aft of said nose at an interior circumference of each said canister with said ring conformable to an aft section of the vehicle and with each of said containment canisters including an open aft section; 
 four actuator casings, with each of said casings affixed to the open aft section of each of said containment canisters, and including plurality of flow ports penetrating a periphery of each of said actuator casings; 
 four linear actuators, each actuator positioned within each of said actuator casings aft of the flow ports of said actuator casings, each of said actuators including an arm with a plug extendable in a direction of said containment canisters; and 
 four sealing rings, each ring positioned within each of said actuator casings aft of said containment canister and forward of said plug; 
 wherein each said actuator arm is capable of extending to seat said plug against said sealing ring; 
 wherein each said actuator arm is capable of retracting to move said plug aft of said flow ports of said actuator casing such that said containment canister is flooded by a water impulse thru the flow ports to expel the vehicle out of said containment canister and said capsule. 
 
     
     
       2. The capsule in accordance with  claim 1  wherein each of said containment canisters further comprises at least three leads extending longitudinally along an interior of said canister such that the vehicle can be separated from the interior. 
     
     
       3. The capsule in accordance with  claim 2  wherein said alignment plate further comprises at least four gussets with each of the gussets positioned between the apertures of said alignment plate and secured to an exterior of said hollow cylinder and a second face of said alignment plate. 
     
     
       4. The capsule in accordance with  claim 3  wherein said canister foot plate comprises at least four gussets with each of the gussets positioned between the apertures of said canister foot plate and secured to an exterior of said hollow cylinder and a face of said canister foot plate. 
     
     
       5. A device for vehicle encapsulation, said device comprising:
 a forward circular alignment plate including a central aperture and four apertures between the central aperture and a perimeter of said alignment plate; 
 a hollow cylinder with a closed first end and a closed second end, said hollow cylinder in alignment with the central aperture and affixed at the first end to said alignment plate at a perimeter of the central aperture; 
 a canister foot plate affixed to the second end of said hollow cylinder, said foot plate including a central aperture aligned with the central aperture of said forward circular alignment plate, four apertures between the central aperture and the perimeter of said foot plate with the four apertures of said foot plate aligned with the four apertures of said alignment plate; 
 four containment canisters, each suitable for encapsulating the vehicle and in alignment with each of the four apertures of said forward circular alignment plate and with each of the four apertures of said foot plate and with said canisters capable of movement within the apertures, each of said containment canisters including a nose, a ring positioned aft of said nose at an interior circumference of each said canister with said ring conformable to an aft section of the vehicle and with each of said canisters including an open aft section; 
 four actuator casings, with each of said casings affixed to the open aft section of each of said containment canisters, and including plurality of flow ports penetrating a periphery of each of said actuator casings; 
 four linear actuators, each actuator positioned within each of said actuator casings aft of the flow ports of said actuator casings, each of said actuators including an arm with a plug extendable in a direction of said containment canisters; and 
 four sealing rings, each ring positioned aft of said containment canister and forward of said plug; 
 wherein each said actuator arm is capable of extending to seat said plug against said sealing ring; 
 wherein each said actuator arm is capable of retracting to move said plug aft of said flow ports of said actuator casing such that said containment canister is flooded by a water impulse thru the flow ports to expel the vehicle out of said containment canister. 
 
     
     
       6. The capsule in accordance with  claim 5  wherein each of said containment canisters further comprises at least three leads extending longitudinally along an interior of said canister such that the vehicle is separated from the interior. 
     
     
       7. The capsule in accordance with  claim 6  wherein said alignment plate further comprises at least four gussets with each of the gussets positioned between the apertures of said alignment plate and secured to an exterior of said hollow cylinder and a face of said alignment plate. 
     
     
       8. The capsule in accordance with  claim 7  wherein said canister foot plate comprises at least four gussets with each of the gussets positioned between the apertures of said canister foot plate and secured to an exterior of said hollow cylinder and a face of said canister foot plate.